Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to amend business of the Senate notice of motion No. 9 standing in my name for today proposing a reference to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee.

Leave granted.

I move the motion as amended:

That the following matters be referred to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee for inquiry and report by 27 March 2014:

The role of public transport in delivering productivity outcomes, with particular reference to:

(a) the need for an integrated approach across road and rail in addressing congestion in cities, including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth;

(b) the social and environmental benefits of public transport projects compared to road infrastructure projects such as WestConnex and the East West Link;

(c) the national significance of public transport;

(d) the relationship between public transport and building well-functioning cities;

(e) the decision of the Federal Government to refuse to fund public transport projects;

(f) the impact on user charges arising from requiring states to fund public transport projects; and

(g) any related matter.

Lee Rhiannon (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—I move:

After paragraph (f), insert:

(fa) why motorway development in the last decade has received higher levels of federal and state government funding compared with public transport; and

Mr President, I seek leave to make a short statement.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Lee Rhiannon (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This inquiry is needed but to serve its purpose we need to explore the massive imbalance in funding between motorways and public transport. When Labor was in government $36 billion was allocated for a six-year national building and transport plan—sounds good, but three-quarters of that was earmarked for road and one-quarter for rail. During the six years that Mr Anthony Albanese was the transport minister, motorways and road building were favoured at a rate of about four to one over public transport. Labor, when in government, had no federal strategy to drive investment in public transport. I have been informed that Labor will not support the Greens amendment that specifies the need for the inquiry to consider why motorway development over the past decade has received higher levels of federal and state government funding compared with public transport. These issues should be explored.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that the amendment moved by Senator Rhiannon be agreed to.

Question negatived.

The question is that the amended motion moved by Senator Moore be agreed to.

Question agreed to.